1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to push-pull rotary switches and, more particularly, to a push-pull rotary switch having two electrical circuits in which at least one of the two electrical circuits is enabled at all times as the switch is pushed and pulled between inward and outward positions.
2. Background Art
Push-pull rotary switches are used in the automotive industry and are typically installed in the dashboards of automobiles. Typical applications of push-pull rotary switches include automobile lighting and window wiping control. A typical push-pull rotary switch includes a shaft which can be rotated about an axis and which can be moved along the axis between inward and outward positions. An operator can push the switch into the inward position and pull the switch into the outward position. The operator can further rotate the switch when the switch is in the inward or outward position.
Generally, such a switch is configured such that the inward and outward positions of the shaft enable the switch to control separate functions of a device such as a light. For example, the operator can push the shaft of the switch into the inward position in order to cause the switch to turn the light off. Similarly, the operator can pull the shaft of the switch into the outward position in order to cause the switch to turn the light on. The switch is further configured such that rotation of the shaft modifies the function of the light. For instance, in the outward position, the operator can rotate the shaft in order to cause the switch to change the level of lighting. For example, at one rotation extreme the switch enables the light to be bright and at the other rotation extreme the switch causes the light to be dim.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a push-pull rotary switch having two electrical circuits in which at least one of the two electrical circuits is enabled at all times as the switch is pushed and pulled between inward and outward positions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a push-pull rotary switch having two ground circuits in which at least one of the two ground circuits is grounded at all times as the switch is pushed and pulled between inward and outward positions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a push-pull rotary switch having two electrical circuits for controlling first and second sets of device functions in which at least one electrical circuit is enabled as the switch is pushed and pulled between inward and outward positions such that the switch can control the set of device functions associated with the enabled at least one electrical circuit.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a push-pull rotary switch having two electrical circuits for controlling first and second sets of device functions in which at least one electrical circuit is enabled as the switch is pushed and pulled between inward and outward positions, and configured such that the set of device functions associated with the enabled at least one electrical circuit may be controlled by rotating the switch.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a push-pull rotary switch having two electrical circuits for controlling first and second sets of device functions in which at least one electrical circuit is enabled as the switch is pushed and pulled between inward and outward positions such that the switch can control the set of device functions associated with the enabled at least one electrical circuit, and configured such that the set of device functions associated with the enabled at least one electrical circuit may be further controlled by rotating the switch.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a push-pull rotary switch having at least one electrical circuit which is enabled at all times as the switch is pushed and pulled between inward and outward positions such that the enabled at least one electrical circuit can control different functions of a device as the switch is rotated.
In carrying out the above objects and other objects, the present invention provides a push-pull rotary switch having an electrical circuit board, first and second conductors, a shaft, a ground circuit trace, first and second circuit traces, and an electrical contactor. The electric circuit board includes a first circuit on a top side and a second circuit on a bottom side. The first and second circuits each have a ground pad and at least one contact pad. The first conductor is positioned above the top side of the board and is operable for contacting the ground pad and a contact pad of the first circuit. The second conductor is positioned below the bottom side of the board and is operable for contacting the ground pad and a contact pad of the second circuit.
The shaft extends along an axis through the first conductor, the board, and the second conductor. The shaft is rotatable about the axis and is moveable along the axis between inward and outward positions. The shaft is connected to the first and second conductors such that the first and second conductors rotate about the axis as the shaft rotates and move along the axis as the shaft moves along the axis. The first conductor contacts the ground pad and a contact pad of the first circuit to electrically connect the ground pad to the contacted contact pad of the first circuit when the shaft is in the inward position. The second conductor contacts the ground pad and a contact pad of the second circuit to electrically connect the ground pad to the contacted contact pad of the second circuit when the shaft is in the outward position.
The ground circuit trace is electrically connected to a ground source. The first circuit trace is electrically connected to the ground pad of the first circuit and the second circuit trace is electrically connected to the ground pad of the second circuit. The contactor is operable to be moved as the shaft moves along the axis between the inward and outward positions. The contactor connects the ground circuit trace to at least one of the first and second circuit traces at all times as the shaft moves along the axis such that at least one of the first and second circuits is enabled at all times as the shaft moves between inward and outward positions.
The contactor connects the ground circuit trace to the first circuit trace when the shaft is in the inward position and the contactor connects the ground circuit trace to the second circuit trace when the shaft is in the outward position. The contactor may be attached to a housing which is connected to the shaft to move up and down along the axis as the shaft moves between the inward and outward positions.
Each of the at least one contact pad of the first circuit is associated with a respective rotational position of the shaft. The first conductor contacts the ground pad and a contact pad associated with a first rotational position of the shaft to electrically connect the ground pad of the first circuit to the contacted contact pad of the first circuit when the shaft is in the inward position and is at the first rotational position of the shaft. Similarly, each of the at least one contact pad of the second circuit is associated with a respective rotational position of the shaft. The second conductor contacts the ground pad and a contact pad associated with a first rotational position of the shaft to electrically connect the ground pad of the second circuit to the contacted contact pad of the second circuit when the shaft is in the outward position and is at the first rotational position of the shaft. The contacted contact pad of the either the first and second circuits transmits a ground signal to a device to be controlled by the switch.
Either of the first and second conductors is a spring leaf having first and second members. The first member is operable for contacting the ground pad of one of the circuits when the shaft is in the inward position or outward position, and the second member is operable for contacting a contact pad of one of the circuits when the shaft is in the inward position. The first member includes a first boss for contacting the ground pad of the first circuit and the second member includes a second boss for contacting a contact pad of the first circuit.